Fence-post brace.



' No. 7|4,644. P'at'ented Nov. 25, I902.

' E. LOVE.

FENCEPOST BBACE.

(Application filed Apr. 80, 1902.)

(Ng) Modal.)

" Nr'rn STATES EDGAR LOVE, OF DARLINGTON, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,644, dated November 25, 1902. Application filed Apr l 30,1902. Serial No. 106,402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR LOVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Darlington, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Fence- Post Brace, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fences, and more especially to means for bracing the corner-posts thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for bracing the corner-posts of fences, so that they may be always maintained in a true position under the strain of thewires, the same being adjustable withrelation to the post.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of one section ofa fence embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation, partlyin section,showing a post and my improved means for bracing the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the construction of the yoke employed in connection with a double brace for the post. I

In the embodiment of my invention I providea post 1, which is tubular and'of cylindrical form, is made of iron or steel, and has its lower end split for a suitable distance and outturned in opposite directions to form anchors 2 at the lower end of the post, which anchors when the post is set are buried at a suitable depth below the surface of the soil and serve to greatly strengthen the hold of the soil upon thepost. In practice the post is set so that the anchors 2 extend in the direction of the fence-Wires. The said post is provided with suitable "openings, through which the fence-wires 3 extend.

A collar 4, which is a casting, is placed on the lower portion of the post immediately above the ground. The said collar has an outstanding fiange or web 5, which is provided with openings 6, which aredisposed ninetydegrees apart. The said. casting or collar is removablefrom and adjustable on the post and is secured thereto by a set-screw 7. A collar Sis alsdplaced on the post near the upper end thereof, is adjustable thereon, and is provided with a set-screw 9, whereby it may be secured to the post. The said collar 8 is here shown as square in top plan,with its faces or sides 10 disposed at right angles to each other, and the said collar 8 is provided with outwardly projecting downwardly inclined spurs 11, adapted to receive the upper ends of brace-tubes 12. In practice these bracetubes are pieces of gas or water pipe of suitable length. To the lower collar is attached the inner end of a rod 13. As here shown, said rod is formed of a hook 14; to engage one of the openings 6 in the collar 4; but other means may be employed to connect the rod to the collar, and I do not limit myself in this particular. The outer portion of the rod 13 is screw-threaded, as at 15. I furtherprovide a yoke 16. The same has at its inner end an upstanding flange 17, provided with an opening through which the rod 13 extends, so that the yoke is slidably connected to said rod and may be adjusted longitudinally thereon. A nut 18, engaging the threaded portion of the rod, bears against the outer side of the flange 17 and secures the yoke to said rod. At the outer end of the yoke is an upturned inclined stud 19, which is adapted to enter the lower end of one of the brace-tubes 12. In practice the yoke 16 will preferably be disposed on a stone or other object to keep the said yoke from direct contact with the earth. It will be understood that by turning the nut 18 any desired tension may be put upon the brace. By providing the collars with the plurality of openings 6 and spurs 11 the post may be braced from any or all sides thereof.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a pair of the brace-tubes 13 are shown on one side of the post in line with the Wires 3, the said brace-tubes being on opposite sides of the said fence-wires.

Where a pair of the brace-tubes are thus used on one side of the post, the yoke is formed with a central eye 20, through which the rod 13 extends, and arms 21, which project in opposite directions from the said eye-and the outer ends of which are upturned to form the studs 19, that enter the" lower ends of the brace-tubes.

While the collar 8 is shown inF-ig. l of the drawings as disposed on the upper portion of the post 1 above the runner-Wires 3, it will be understood that the same may be at any suitable distance from the upper end of the post and below one or more of said wires 3, as

shown in Fig. 2. I do not limit myself in this particular. Preferably the sides of the collar 8 are beveled at right angles to the spurs 11 to enable the upper ends of the brace-tubes 12 to bear squarely against them.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. The combination of a post, collars slidably mounted thereon, means for adj ustably securing said collars to said post, an outstanding rod having one end thereof connected to one of' said collars, a yoke slidably mounted on said rod, a brace having one end connected to said yoke, and the other end connected to the other of said collars, and an adjustingnut screwed on said rod and bearing on the outer side of the yoke.

2. The combination of a post, runner-wires attached thereto, collars on the upper and lower portions of the post, the upper collar having projecting studs on opposing sides of the common plane of the runner-wires, a rod connected to the lower collar and extending from the post, in line with the fence, a yoke slidably connected to the rod, and having studs on opposite sides of the common plane of the runner-wires, and brace elements on opposite sides of the runner-wires, substantially parallel therewith, and having their ends engaged by the studs of said upper colo lar and said yoke, and means to adjust the yoke longitudinally on the rod to apply tension to said rod and brace elements, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a post, collars adjustable thereon and disposed near its upper and lower ends, each of said collars having means to secure it to the post when adjusted, and said upper collar having a projecting inclined stud, an outstanding rod having its in- 40 nor end connected to the lower collar, a yoke connected to and slidable on the outer portion of the rod and having an upturned stud,

a brace-tube having its ends engaged by the studs-of said upper collar and said yoke, and an adjusting-nut screwed on said outstanding rod and bearing against the outer side of the yoke, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR LOVE.

Witnesses:

ERNEST WEESNER, OTHA MORRISON. 

